Well this got weird quick! This was not exactly what I thought it would be when I picked this one up, but I liked it. Is Lauren trying to be the perfect girlfriend? Or is Jay tying to turn her in to his perfect girlfriend?
The twists come out in lightly strange ways. The writing is a bit YA however the subject matter is not. Drug use, rape, abortion, child neglect, and murder of course.
It was an interesting debut for Haley Smith, and I look forward to reading her future releases. 3.5 up to 4.
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.

This was a twisty, a little bit scary, page turning psychological thriller! I kept trying to figure it out but different things happened along the way that I wasn’t really totally certain of the outcome until the end! Great story!

I couldn’t put this delightfully twisty tale down. From the gorgeous cover to the flawed characters, this story had me gripped. Will read more from this talented author! 5 stars!

A brilliant debut book. Twisty exciting and fast paced. I read this so quickly as I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to may more from this author. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Ohhhh this is an amazing debut! Great twists- and the characters? Oh yes! Quick and fast paced read!

I really enjoyed this! I started it on the plane to Germany and had it basically finished by the time I got to the hotel!

Lauren meets Jay at a festival at a time where she has lost her job, her best friend has died and she has become a social pariah in her town. When Jay suggests she move in with him, she jumps at the chance to start afresh. However, all is not as it seems as Lauren discovers the new house has no internet or reception, Jay disappears for hours with no explanation and is increasingly taking control of the finances..

This plot was quite unique but still included some classic thriller build up, such as the opening chase scene. It was set up really well to keep the reader guessing. Lauren was painted as an unreliable narrator so that the reader is continuously unsure about interpretations made of the other characters. There was a big turn around with one character that felt a bit sudden, but that can be explained with the unreliable narrator technique!

Lauren and Jay’s seemingly decent relationship takes a dark turn when suspicions arise about Jay’s past involvement in her best friend’s death. Things get worse as Jay becomes abusive, controlling Lauren’s life in alarming ways. Trigger warning for some.

The book starts as a slow burner but eventually picks up with exciting moments, though some filler chapters are noticeable. The plot is enjoyable with unexpected twists.

“The Perfect Girlfriend” had me hooked from the description, and it kept me engaged with its gripping story and quick pace. The twists and turns kept me guessing, making it a satisfying read.

Thank you to Hayley Smith, Bookouture, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was good, It was twisty, but not over the top. I loved that it was fast-paced. There is a creepy undertone that makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens.

The details that Hayley Smith uses make you feel like you are there watching this all play out in front of you. I couldn't really connect with the characters, but that is okay because the story definitely held my attention.

How about the cover? So simple, yet grabs your attention.

The prologue had me hooked instantly. Then, as I was reading, I found myself confused. First, I was confused about the narrator. I read the whole book and still had a hard time putting together that the main character is named Lauren. I also had a hard time visualizing this taking place in the modern world. It gave hints that it takes place in a current-ish time frame, but I found myself still falling back and thinking it was not in the modern era. It may have been the lack of available communication, and that may have been the whole point. Lol.

The characters were good besides the disconnect with the main character. 4/5
The plot was good. There was a couple twists I didn't see coming at all and they really amped it up for me. 5/5
The pace was not good. I feel like the book dragged a lot in the middle. There was definitely a purpose to this but I feel it could've been quicker paced and gotten the point across. 3/5
Overall I enjoyed the book but with the pace and the main character disconnect I would give it a 4/5.

I'm interested to read more from Hayley.

Hayley Smith’s The Perfect Girlfriend is a dark, addictive and unpredictable psychological thriller where the twists and turns come so thick and fast, readers will be left breathless.

Jay and Lauren are a couple who seem to be head over heels in love with one another. They have only been together a short while, but from the moment they met they just knew that they were meant to be together. When Jay asked Lauren to go and live with him, she accepted – even if it meant leaving everything that was familiar to her behind. Jay’s house on the edge of the woods allowed Lauren to put the past behind her for good and with no neighbours, Internet or phone signal, nobody could possibly find her no matter how hard they try…

However, there is another side to Lauren and another reason why she seems to always go along with whatever Jay wants. She never corrects him, she never questions him and she tries to be as close as she can possibly be to being the perfect girlfriend – and with good reason. Lauren knows the truth about Jay and what he’s done in the past and she intends to bide her time and pull the rug out from under his feet when he least expects it. Lauren has been so careful to cover her tracks…hasn’t she?

Is Lauren about to get the biggest shock of her life? And will all of her plans end up going up in smoke?

Hayley Smith knows how to chill her readers to the bone! The Perfect Girlfriend is a shocking, tension-filled and action-packed thriller that left me with my jaw on the floor. Exciting, terrifying and impossible to put down, chiller fans are going to love Hayley Smith’s latest novel, The Perfect Girlfriend.

Lauren and Jay seem like they have a decent relationship. They meet at a music festival, move in together into this little secluded cottage like thing, and they hump like rabbits. However, there's a lot of darkness here. Lauren is actually really concerned about Jay's past. Specifically, was he at all involved in the death of her best friend.

To make matters worse (but really, how can you get worse than thinking this guy drugs women, rapes women, and killed your best friend?) Jay is abusive. It starts with his words and the way he secludes Lauren. It then moves into him making decisions for her. Then, of course, he gets physically violent. I won't get too far into those details -- but I will say, trigger warning for some people.

This was a decent debut novel and I do think that Hayley Smith has a lot of great moments packed into this book. There are a few times where the pacing seems off towards the end. I also had issues with Lauren and some of her motivations -- there were times where I needed her to "get out" but she would make poor decisions. Of course you want to investigate things, but you can't end up being the next dead person. Overall, again, it was thrilling and you definitely get a sense of panic throughout and want for Lauren to be okay.

I'll definitely be looking into Hayley Smith's next novel!

Thank you to NetGally and the publishers for this ARC.

This book was definitely a slow burner, it took a while to get going. Something exciting would happen and then there would be a few filler chapters, not a bad thing but quite noticeable for me.

I really did enjoy the plot of this book though, I changed my mind on what was going to happen so many times!

Congrats to Hayley for this great debut novel x

I enjoyed this book. It was not an edge of my seat thriller, but it did keep me guessing. I went back and forth several times wondering if jay was bad. I do have a hard time thinking people would cover for a killer for the reasons in the book. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book

I really enjoyed The Perfect Girlfriend. The description dragged me in and the story kept me hooked with plenty of twists and turns which I had not expected. I also found it to be a really quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I recieved this arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would say the back summary of the book did lure me in to read this book but the actual story was completely different. Besides this I still enjoyed this book however it was deeper than I expected but still a great thriller.

I was a little unclear where this one was heading at first but it is a solid debut. The characters had secrets and kept me guessing what they might be. Even Lauren’s when she was our narrator. I wasn’t sure if she was unreliable or just not letting me into that part of the story. None of the characters were very likable but I really wanted to know what was going on and if Lauren’s decisions were as bad as they seemed. It was almost like yelling at a horror movie in the why are you doing that??? And then I’d find out a little more about the situation and it would make the decision worse, not better.

I both read and listened to this one and Katie Villa does a good job as narrator. She skillfully brought the story to life and kept my interest.

This one ends up being pretty dark so make sure and check trigger warnings if you have any. If you are a fan of dark suspense novels with secrets and twists, you should definitely check this one out.

Rated 3.5 ⭐️

First, thank you to NetGalley, Hayley Smith and Bookouture for the Free Ebook of The Perfect Girlfriend. This review is 100% my own opinion.

This book is a bit creepy and keeps you guessing until the end. Gave it 3.5 stars due to lulls and deep valleys in the story. I felt like the story at times dragged on. I also didn't fully connect with the characters. Some things happening throughout made me think... "Really?!"

My favorite part may have been the determination of Lauren. There wasn't 1 character that I could say was my favorite.

This is a great debut novel by Hayley Smith, just didn't fully hit the mark for me.

Trigger warnings ⚠️
Rape
Excessive Drinking
Drug use
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Abortion
PTSD
Death

Jay lives in a secluded home, miles away from neighbors with no Wi-Fi, telephone or cell phone reception, cable or household utilities. He believes in being self sufficient and not relying on the modern way of living. Lauren plays violin for a popular band and tours in local bars, where she meets Jay. Lauren is immediately attracted to Jay’s good looks and starts a conversation. It seems as Jay is also infatuated with Lauren also and invites her back to his home. Lauren who is on the rebound of breaking up with a much older married man, begins to feel that this is the break she has been looking for. But who has a alternative motive and why is Jay obsessed with Lauren’s long black hair? Secret rooms, secret lies and untold truths will have you guessing to the very end.

Oh, where do I even begin with The Perfect Girlfriend by Hayley Smith? This gripping debut novel took me on a rollercoaster ride of secrets, psychological games, and spine-chilling twists that left me breathless. From the moment I started reading, I couldn't tear myself away, eager to uncover what lay hidden within the pages.

The story revolves around Jay, my boyfriend, who seems to be the perfect match for me. We've created our little haven in a secluded house near a deep forest, far away from the prying eyes of the outside world. But beneath the surface of our seemingly idyllic life together, secrets lurk, and I'm determined to keep them hidden at any cost.

As the pages turned, I found myself drawn deeper into the chilling atmosphere, not knowing whom to trust or what would happen next. Hayley Smith's storytelling prowess kept me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding, as the plot unfolded with unexpected twists and turns that left me gasping.

The novel's ending was a true masterpiece, delivering a surprising twist that I never saw coming. This psychological thriller is a must-read for fans of eerie and intense storytelling, and I'm eagerly awaiting the author's next creation. Kudos to Hayley Smith for a fantastic debut, and a big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with the ARC that gripped me from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an ARC of this book!

In this story we follow Lauren’s POV who meets Jay at a music festival. They are so attracted to each other they decide to move in together a few weeks after meeting. Jay lives in a house away from neighbors; no access to internet and no phone signal. Lauren however doesn’t mind because she has secrets of her own and she doesn’t want the truth to come out.

I was really hoping I would love this book but unfortunately I couldn’t. Lauren’s character annoyed me so much. Jay was unlikable (I do believe this was intentional though) I found that the start of the book was more romance filled and not much mystery. It felt like half of the book was Lauren settling in into her new life. The second half of the book was much more interesting, as it became more thriller-vibes. By that point, I had sadly lost interest. I did enjoy the authors writing style! I truly believe that’s what kept me reading.